I would like to know how you assemble the 1/8'' Stereo Mount Phone Jack where you solder on the leads. What are the two non rechargeable Duracells doing ?
Are they just a backup or is this a DLG? Sorry for the dumb questions but I would like to make some myself and could use step by step instructions.

I would like to know how you assemble the 1/8'' Stereo Mount Phone Jack where you solder on the leads. What are the two non rechargeable Duracells doing ?Are they just a backup or is this a DLG? Sorry for the dumb questions but I would like to make some myself and could use step by step instructions.

They are about 1500 mA that give me 22+ hours of flying time. The decay curve is not too steep and therefore I find them safer than small NiMh packs that only give about 1.5 hours and can decay very fast.

I'm sure there's more than one post on soldering up charging jacks. I can't find mine. Recommend a search.

John,
The use of any Radio Shack switch jack is just an accident waiting to happen. IMO This topic has been discussed many times on this Hand Launch Forum and as well as I can remember, the bottom line amoung those who have been flying DLG for these many years is that most of them, myself included, will not trust their precious DLG high dollar gliders to any Radio Shack switch. Most, if not all, of the major builders include Switch Craft or "similar" plugs and jacks with their ARF kits.
I have been into electronics for over 50 years and I believe for most of the time Radio Shack has been selling their stuff, they have been selling a high profit, lower quality, non industrial standard product.
Just because their jacks look good, doesn't mean they will hold up to the many tens, hundreds, or thousands of cycles of insertions that a quality jack is tested too. Many have found this out the hard way.
I know of several occasions where the contact material on their jacks, lost their tension and allowed the switch to fail.

Unless you can verify the quality specifications of those Radio Shack switches. You may find out why I feel so strongly about this subject.

Best to you all,

walt

PS I am adding this link I lifted from post # 55 by Endless Sloper , it is the best info I've seen on this subject. but note the prices are out of date.

Your Quote "No question many of RS components are definitely low end, high profit items, but to say everything in the store is junk is a bit broad."

Funny I don't remember saying anything like "" everything in the store is junk", but if you could read my mind you would find I pretty much feel that way about their audio, power and switch components, except I try not to generalze out loud.

The SwitchCraft jacks and plugs "most" DGLers use are designed for audio use and other. That does not take away from their ability to serve properly our DGL uses at the current levels we need = about 100ma. They will handle considerbly more current than that.

Indeed the SwitchCraft and other high end switches and jacks are backed up by complete specifications including life expectancy in cycles, etc.

Electronic Engineers and Designers must have the specifications of components going into their equipment. This information can usually be found on the web sites and sometimes in the catalogs, in brief form , of sellers such as Mouser and Digital? Electronics, and of course at SwitchCraft.

I've done my best to give needed information here and to express my opinion, what you do is of course up to you.

I messed around with a couple of the "cheap" radio shack jacks, and I have found that the reason why so many say they fail prematurely is because they need to learn how to solder. If you hold the iron on the terminals for more than a couple seconds, the metal heats up and is tempered. (weakens the spring action) I tested one to 100 cycles, but my wrist started to hurt around 60. They work pretty good.

The only thing I don't like is that they are open to be shorted out by pushrods.

And yes, the contact area is EXTREMELY small. at 1 amp of current, is would probably melt the terminals and be welded shut. (wanna ask me how I know???)

Maybe it's just me, but I have this thing about buying in stores. I would rather purchase a slightly inferior product and slightly increased price in stores, as opposed to purchasing online.

I've used two radio shack jacks in my contest DLGs and have never had a problem. I personally like the radio shack ones versus the switchcraft because I can actually solder into them. I guess it's just a matter of opinion. Great find by the way.

I decided not to mess with one on my first DLG ( a DL50).
I just got a short (6", IIRC) servo extension cable and plugged that into the battery slot on the receiver.
Now, I just open the hatch (by sliding a rubber band back!) and plug the battery lead into the extension cable for my "switch".
Been doing Land Mobile Radio tech work for 34 years now for GE, Motorola, and NASA, since getting out of the Air Force.
That doesn't make me an "expert" by any stretch, especially when compared to the folks who really ARE as "good" as Walt! :-)
I'm sure I'll now hear why doing it my way is a REALLY bad idea, but I don't care.
"If it ain't broke, don't FIX it!" :-)
Bob

OK, glad Walt chimed in because he got me to look closely at Switchraft.

First I got interested in the RS jack because it was completely enclosed and it had two single pole switches that could be wired in parallel.
If one goes the other may hold.

The Switchcraft site page shows a jack with same enclosed design and pin locations. See Swichcraft picture below. They also mention 5000 operations minimum. I stand corrected on that point. I suppose with a bit of silicone lube you could get even more, especially if you were into activating your jack for pleasure.

The SC may be different from RS unit, but I suspect both are made in the East because it's the only SC jacks listed as 3.5mm all other s are in inches.
SoaringUSA, and Polecat sell an assembled unit ($25~30) that looks like it uses similar enclosed jack, maybe a bit smaller.

If you're not expert at soldering that would be safest way to go.
Mouser has the double Switchcraft jack for $1.25, and the similar RS jack is $2.49. So in this case, if you don't want to buy the cheap one you would have get the RS.http://www.mouser.com/Search/Refine....ord=35rapc4bh3
However, if you are ordering, I would go along with Walt that Switchcraft definitely has the better reputation for quality.
Best of luck to all.
John255